deCODEme(TM) Takes on Heart Disease in February

deCODEme(TM) Takes on Heart Disease in February

deCODEme Cardio(TM) Scan Offered at $100 During American Heart Month; CEO Kari Stefansson to Appear on The Martha Stewart Show This Thursday, February 5th

REYKJAVIK, February 3/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- To mark American Heart Month, deCODE genetics (Nasdaq:DCGN) today
announced that during the month of February it will offer its deCODEme Cardio
Scan(TM), the unique new tool that enables individuals to better understand
their inherited risk of heart attack, stroke and atrial fibrillation,
intracranial and abdominal aortic aneurysm, and venous thromboembolism, for
the special promotional price of $100.

On Thursday, February 5th, just ahead of Friday's annual focus on women's
heart health awareness, deCODE CEO Kari Stefansson is scheduled to appear
live on The Martha Stewart Show, the nationally syndicated lifestyle series
hosted by Martha Stewart. The discussion will focus on how understanding the
inherited risk factors measured by the deCODEme(TM) full genome scan and the
new Cardio and Cancer Scans may empower people to better protect their
health. Those unable to watch Thursday's show live can find a replay of the
segment on http://www.marthastewart.com, and through a link on deCODE's blog
http://www.decodeyou.com.

"As the people who discovered the highest impact genetic risk factors for
heart attack and stroke, this is our way of encouraging people gain more
understanding of their cardiovascular risk. Because these diseases occur at
the interface between genes and the environment, this is empowering
information that may help people to take action to effectively reduce the
likelihood of developing these diseases. We are also pleased to have the
opportunity to talk about our scans with Martha Stewart in this month devoted
to increasing the awareness of heart disease. Heart disease remains the
leading killer of women as well as men, but there is a lot we can all do,
working on our own and with our doctors, to reduce our risk and to stay
healthier longer," said Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE.

deCODEme(TM) is the world's first retail genome analysis service. The
full genome Complete Scan scan and the Cardio and Cancer scans build on
deCODE's global leadership in the discovery of common variations in the
sequence of the human genome conferring increased risk of common diseases.
deCODEme(TM) scans detect the single-letter genetic variations (called SNPs)
with the biggest impact on disease risk. These are SNPs validated in
large-scale studies by deCODE as well as leading academic research
institutions. DNA analysis is conducted in deCODE's own CLIA-registered
laboratory, one of the largest genotyping facilities in the world. The
deCODEme Cardio(TM) scan measures 8 SNPs associated with the risk of heart
attack, stroke and atrial fibrillation, intracranial and abdominal aortic
aneurysm, and venous thromboembolism. This month deCODE is offering deCODE
Cardio for $100, with promotional prices on all its deCODEme scans. These
prices are valid through February 28, 2009, details at
http://www.decodeme.com.

When you order a deCODEme(TM) scan you create your own username and
password, and are sent a simple cheek swab which you use and then return to
us. We extract DNA from your sample, analyze SNPs across your genome
according to which scan you have ordered, and then post your results to your
secure online profile. Your results present your relative risk of a given
disease compared to the general population, as well as your absolute lifetime
risk, which is the percentage likelihood that an individual will develop a
disease in their lifetime. The results also explain what other risk factors
interact with genetic risk to increase or decrease the likelihood of
developing a given disease, as well as how subscribers may wish to follow up
with their doctor to optimize the prevention or early detection of these
diseases. deCODEme(TM) offers genetic counseling to all its subscribers, via
email or by telephone.

Many deCODE customers have already employed the results of deCODEme and
the company's range of DNA-based risk assessment tests to improve and protect
their health. Stories of how deCODE's products are helping individuals and
their physicians to take more control of their health can be found on our
blog, at http://www.deCODEyou.com.

deCODEme Cancer(TM) measures 27 SNPs associated with risk of prostate,
lung, bladder and colorectal cancers, as well as basal cell carcinoma and the
common form of breast cancer. The deCODEme(TM) full genome Complete Scan
measures well over 1 million SNPs across the entire genome and provides
assessment for risk of 34 different diseases and traits, as well as the
latest in genetic ancestry analysis. For a video explaining how deCODEme(TM)
works, go to: http://www.decodeme.com/genetics-explained-video.

About deCODE

deCODE is a bio-pharmaceutical company developing drugs and DNA-based
tests to improve the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of common diseases.
Its lead therapeutic programs, which leverage the company's expertise in
chemistry and structural biology, include DG041, an antiplatelet compound
being developed for the prevention of arterial thrombosis; DG051 and DG031,
compounds targeting the leukotriene pathway for the prevention of heart
attack; and DG071 and a platform for other PDE4 modulators with therapeutic
applications in Alzheimer's disease and other conditions. deCODE is a global
leader in human genetics, and has identified key variations in the genome
(SNPs) conferring increased risk of major public health challenges from
cardiovascular disease to cancer. Based upon these discoveries deCODE has
brought to market a growing range of DNA-based tests for gauging risk and
empowering prevention of common diseases. Through its CLIA-registered
laboratory, deCODE is offers deCODE T2(TM) for type 2 diabetes; deCODE AF(TM)
for atrial fibrillation and stroke; deCODE MI(TM) for heart attack; deCODE
ProstateCancer(TM) for prostate cancer; deCODE Glaucoma(TM) for a major type
of glaucoma; and deCODE BreastCancer(TM), for the common forms of breast
cancer. deCODE is delivering on the promise of the new genetics.(SM) Visit us
on the web at http://www.decode.com; on our diagnostics site at
http://www.decodediagnostics.com; for our pioneering personal genome analysis
service and new Cardio and Cancer scans, integrating the genetic variants
included in these tests and those linked to another twenty common diseases,
at http://www.decodeme.com; and on our blog at http://www.decodeyou.com.

Any statements contained in this presentation that relate to future
plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results, and the timing of events, to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These
risks and uncertainties include, among others, those relating to our ability
to obtain financing and to form collaborative relationships, the effect of a
potential delisting of our common stock from The Nasdaq Global Market, our
ability to develop and market diagnostic products, the level of third party
reimbursement for our products, risks related to preclinical and clinical
development of pharmaceutical products, including the identification of
compounds and the completion of clinical trials, the effect of government
regulation and the regulatory approval processes, market acceptance, our
ability to obtain and protect intellectual property rights for our products,
dependence on collaborative relationships, the effect of competitive
products, industry trends and other risks identified in deCODE's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the
risk factors identified in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any
updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in our Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. deCODE undertakes no
obligation to update or alter these forward-looking statements as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise. Certain restrictions may apply
to the products and offers mentioned above. See http://www.decodeme.com for
details.

Contacts:

Edward Farmer
+354-570-2819
edward.farmer@decode.is

Gisli Arnason
+354-570-1825
gisli.arnason@decode.is

Joy Bessenger
+1-212-481-3891
joy.bessenger@decode.is

Source: deCODE genetics Inc

Contacts: Edward Farmer, +354-570-2819, edward.farmer@decode.is; Gisli Arnason, +354-570-1825, gisli.arnason@decode.is; Joy Bessenger, +1-212-481-3891, joy.bessenger@decode.is

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